Secrets Never Hurt, Right?
by Constance Truggle
Summary: Harry has a secret. What happens when that secret comes out? HP/SS MPREG Slash. Major overhaul going on now.
1. Revelations

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Potterverse, and no copyright infringement is intended. This is Not for Prophet (or profit, for those of you who don't get it smile).

**This is un-beta'd. Any mistakes are mine alone.**

**Secrets Never Hurt, Right?**

**Chapter One: In which things are revealed and shopping is done.**

Harry Potter sat on the bed in stunned disbelief. He knew it could happen, he just never thought that it would have happened to _him_ from just that once. Blinking, he focused his emerald gaze on the mediwitch in front of him.

"Are you sure, Poppy?" he asked. The mediwitch looked affronted. And indeed she was. As if she didn't know how to do a simple diagnostic scan of her young charge.

"Yes, Harry, I am," she replied in a curt tone. Harry immediately looked contrite.

"Sorry. It's just, this is all so . . . overwhelming. You know? I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know dear. It will take some time to get used to."

Harry nodded, and after an endless round of what he should eat and how to take care of himself, he departed the Hogwarts infirmary. He was just glad he decided to come see Poppy instead of going to St. Mungo's. If this leaked out to the press . . . Harry groaned. He could just see the headline now.

**Boy-Who-Lived Pregnant!**

'Wouldn't _that_ just be fun,' he thought to himself. Luck was on his side that day, however. He did not run into a single person. As the only people present were the professors, he was rather glad of that fact. They knew him well enough to know something was wrong just by looking at him.

He apparated to Hermione Granger's flat in South London intent on telling her the news. He knew he'd need help, and there was no-one he'd trust more. Arriving in what Hermione called the mudroom, but was really an apparation point, he knocked on the door. Hearing a male voice bid him enter, he stepped in and smiled at his former year-mate and one of his closest friends. Next to Hermione and Ron, this was his best friend.

"'Lo Dray!" Harry said, grinning.

"Hi Harry. What brings you here this fine day?" Draco Malfoy replied.

Harry shrugged and suddenly looked nervous.

"Is 'Mione around? I really need to talk to her."

Draco studied him a moment, scrutinizing him before nodding, apparently satisfied that Harry wouldn't tell him anything before Hermione was there.

"She's in the bath now, but should be out soon. Would you care for some tea while we wait? Some quidditch talk? Sex?" Draco said the last with an overly dramatic leer, and Harry laughed, his nervousness fading away.

"Nah. Save it for your fiancee. Unless you're thinking of flying for the other team?" Harry waggled his eyebrows in what he hope was a lecherous manner while Draco snickered.

They sat sipping tea and talking until Hermione emerged, dressed in a casual summer robe. It was then that Harry realized that she and Draco were obviously dressed for an outing.

"Hello Harry!" Hermione said, coming towards him and enveloping him in a hug. "What brings you here?"

Harry snickered. His friends obviously thought alike. Making an impulse decision, he turned a brilliant smile on the two.

"Would you care to go shopping with me? I need to pick up a few . . . necessities, while I still can."

Hermione looked curiously at her best friend, then to her fiance who shrugged in response.

"Harry, what is this about?" Draco asked. "I know you didn't come here just to go shopping. For Merlin's sake, you _hate_ shopping!"

Harry sighed and sat down again.

"I got some news from Poppy today. I really do need to go shopping, and I'd rather go now before my reasons become too obvious."

Draco raised a slim blonde brow, slight irritation showing in that one movement.

"Care to tell us what these reasons are?"

"I went to see Poppy because I haven't been feeling well lately. She did some tests, and told me that I . . ." he broke off, unable to continue. Hermione took in his teary eyes and miserable countenance and couldn't help herself. She sat next to him and held him to her.

"It's okay, Harry. Just take your time."

Harry gave her a watery smile, and whispered, "I'm pregnant."

Hermione blinked, then shrieked in the way only a woman can after hearing such news.

"Oh Harry! That's wonderful! Isn't it? I mean, have you told the father? Who is the father? Last I knew, you had only slept with . . ." she trailed off. "Oh. I see."

"Yeah. Oh," Harry replied, a sad look on his face. "He can't know, 'Mione. I can't tell him. It was just the one time. I've never . . . well, not with anyone else. What am I going to do?" he asked pleadingly.

Draco stood up abruptly, and smirked.

"Right now, I say we go shopping. We can think about the rest later."

Hermione gave Draco a shy smile and turned back to Harry.

"Yes, I think that's best. Besides, we were going shopping today anyway. We'll just have to double our purchases," she said with a wicked glint in her eyes.

"You mean--" Harry blinked, then smiled blindingly. "Congratulations! How far?"

Hermione blushed and Draco's smirk widened into a grin.

"The same night as you, I'm thinking. Six weeks, anyway."

Harry nodded. The three talked a bit about what they were expecting to happen, and decided where to shop. Finaly, they all agreed on two shops in Diagon Alley, and one in Muggle London. They would go there last.

* * *

They had fun in Diagon Alley. The first shop they went in, they purchased cribs, cradles and bedding. The cribs had baby monitor charms on them, and the cradles did that and had charms to gently rock the babies if they were fussy. All the bedding, plus receiving blankets, had charms to control the temperature around the babies, so they were neither too hot nor too cold when wrapped in one. 

The second shop, they purchased robes and other clothing for the babies. Draco and Hermione picked most of the clothes out, as Harry obviously had no fashion sense according to Draco.

"But Dray! They'll grow out of them soon enough. Do they really need to be at the height of fashion when they'll only wear their clothes for a few weeks at most?" Harry had asked. Draco had replied with a single nod and that was that.

They stopped for ice cream at Fortescue's, then made their way into Muggle London. The shop, a boutique, was Hermione's idea. She wanted to be able to dress their baby in Muggle attire when they went to visit her family. Harry agreed, as he liked to make excursions to the Muggle world as well on occasion, and would enjoy not having people gawk at his baby's wizarding wear. They got toys from both the Wizard and Muggle shops, finding quite a few that they liked in both.

Harry was glad when the shopping was over, but he didn't want to leave the comfort of his friends' company so soon, so he invited them to his house for dinner. They agreed, and soon all three were eating and talking over a light meal. Neither Harry nor Hermione could handle much heavier foods at the time. It was as they were sitting in the parlor that Draco brought up a question that Harry had been dreading.

"So Harry, when are you going to tell Severus?"

**_tbc_**

**A/N: So, what do you think? I'm not sure how much I'll be able to update, as I tend to get side-tracked easily. But I wanted to put this out, and I already have most of it planned out mentally. However, getting it onto paper doesn't always work the way I want it to. But please let me know what you think, okay? Thank you.**


	2. Plans, Slytherin style

**Disclaimer:** First chapter.

**Secrets Never Hurt, Right?**

**Chapter Two: In which decorating is done, plans are made, and a check up happens.**

'Ten weeks now,' Harry thought as he, Hermione and Draco made their way to Hogwarts for a check up with Madam Pomfrey. Hermione and Draco had decided, since Harry and Hermione were due within days of each other, that they would have their check ups together with Poppy, instead of going to St. Mungo's as they had originally planned. It was more for moral support of their friend than anything else, but they knew and trusted Poppy with their care.

Harry had been taken care of, and now Hermione was being checked when Draco felt his friend stiffen next to him. He looked at Harry, then followed Harry's eyes to the door of the infirmary, where Severus Snape was silently entering. The dark man stopped and stared at Harry a moment before seemingly bringing himself under control and turning his black gaze to his godson. He moved toward them and glanced at the curtained area Hermione was behind.

"Hello Draco. What are you doing here?" he asked in his silky voice, sending shivers up Harry's spine.

"Hermione is being checked over by Poppy. Monthly check up and all that," Draco replied, leaning slightly into Harry's side to lend comfort and support. "What are you doing up here? Aren't there any students around to terrorize?" he asked with an impudent grin.

Severus smirked.

"Of course. Poppy asked me to re-supply some of her potions. This was the first chance I've had to come and see what she needs restocked. What is Potter doing here?"

Draco shrugged while Harry turned a carefully blank face in the older wizard's direction.

"Simple, really. He's going to be the godfather, so 'Mione and I asked him if he wanted to join us for the check ups."

Harry was grateful that they had already asked him to be godfather, or else all would have been ruined then. Inside he was trembling with lust for the man whose voice alone could send him over the edge and into the abyss. He was glad that his friends hadn't pushed him to tell Severus about his condition. He only hoped he could be so lucky throughout the whole of his pregnancy. The young man wished that his relationship with the older wizard was like it used to be. Before the war ended, before that night. When they were friends, of a sort. But no, he went and ruined that by sleeping with the man. Once.

After it happened, the man's vitriol had shriveled Harry's heart faster than he thought possible. Harry had gone crying to Hermione, spilling everything that happened. She had told him that it was perfectly natural for them all to want sexual relations. After all, they had been faced with their mortality, and had watched friend and foe alike fall under wand-fire. It was a body's natural response; for male and female alike, the body wants and needs to reproduce. To repopulate and recoup the losses shared. But Harry still didn't like it. He was in love with the Potion's Master, and had been since around the middle of his sixth year. They had gotten closer gradually, becoming confidantes to each other, until one could almost call them friends. There had been too much history between them for them to wipe away in a year or so, but they were trying. And then Voldemort attacked, and Harry had joined the fight. It took almost a week, but finally the two enemies had gotten to the other. And when it was over, when the Dark Lord was dead, Severus had been there to help Harry back to the castle. Back to the very room he was in now. The memories and emotions were too much for the hormonal young man. With a Look to Draco, Harry escaped the infirmary, only stopping when he was sitting beneath the oak by the lake, waiting for his two friends to emerge.

* * *

Severus watched as the stricken wizard left, nearly running to get away, and thought he knew why. While he was partially right that Harry was recalling his last moments of consciousness after the Final Battle, that was all he thought it was. That's where he was wrong. Harry had been in the infirmary twice since the battle, and neither time affected him the way it just did. Because those other times, Severus himself hadn't been there. 

Draco watched Severus watching Harry depart, and smiled inside. He was a Slytherin, after all. He would get the two to admit their feelings for each other, whether they knew they had them or not. He knew, and to him, that was all that mattered.

"Harry? Can you come here a moment, please?" Madam Pomfrey's voice rose from behind the curtain and Draco grimaced.

"He's not in here, Poppy. He's gone for a walk. Shall I get him for you?" he called to her.

"Please do, Draco. I need to see him once more before he leaves. I've some further tests to run," the matron replied.

Draco's grey eyes widened then locked on the black ones before him; the ones that were looking at him with suspicion, and a calculating determination.

'Damn that woman!' he thought to himself as he nodded to his godfather and left. 'She could have just ruined everything!'

Severus stared after his godson, then decided to continue his inventory of Poppy's stock. Whatever was wrong with Potter, he'd find out eventually, he was certain.

* * *

Harry looked up as Draco approached his tree and smiled. 

"Where's 'Mione? Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Not yet. Poppy wants to see you. Said she had more tests to run on you before you could leave," Draco watched as Harry's face paled and he started to shake.

"She . . . she didn't . . . I mean, _he_ wasn't there when she said that, was he?" he whispered fearfully.

Draco sighed and nodded.

"He was. Didn't give him time to say anything to me, however. I just left to get you."

Harry stood up swiftly, with the intent of going to see Poppy and get everything over with, but was immediately overcome with dizziness. Black spots danced before his eyes, and he reached out a shaky hand to steady himself against the tree. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply until the dizzy spell passed, before nodding to his friend.

"Let's go."

The blond Slytherin watched his Gryffindor counterpart carefully, making sure he didn't fall and hurt himself. The dizzy spells had become more frequent for both his friend and his fiancé. Poppy said it had to do with how quickly they stood up. He didn't understand it, even if Hermione and Harry had both tried to explain to him about blood pressure and such. He just didn't get it, and didn't care to as long as he knew his love was alright, and that it was normal in her condition.

The two young men entered the infirmary silently, not wanting to disturb the Potions Master from his task. Hermione emerged from behind the screen as they were approaching, and gave her friend a hug before ushering him back to be with the medi-witch. She and Draco soon settled down to a quiet conversations as they waited. Neither knew the dark and forbidding man behind them was surreptitiously listening.

"I just wish he'd let him know, you know? I mean, he doesn't deserve to find out when it could be too late for them," Hermione was saying.

"I know, love, I know. But he needs time. This wasn't something he planned, after all. But I've told him already that I'll only give him another month. If he doesn't tell him, then I will endeavor to arrange a way for it to be impossible not to."

"How . . . Slytherin. I knew there was a reason I loved you," Hermione smirked, mirroring the one on Draco's face.

"And here I thought it was my charming personality, my beautiful looks, my money, and my . . . expertise," Draco waggled his eyebrows at her. He always enjoyed when he could make her blush. And blush she did, just as she started counting off his points to her counter-points.

"Your personality, love, was less than charming for six years before we got together, your looks aren't something I've ever been into before. I've always had a thing for darker coloring, but I made an exception for you. Your money is negligible when considering that I've never really wanted for money, and don't care to have a vast sum of it now. And your expertise, as you called it, is . . . well, alright. I'll concede that point," she smiled, but then started worrying her bottom lip. "But what ever are we going to do about Harry? It's great that he's come to us, but he needs more than just friends with him right now. He needs . . . I don't know. Family, perhaps? But he doesn't have that, not really. I mean, there's us, and the Weasley's, but that's about it. And with Ron off to who knows which country this time, he won't feel comfortable going over to The Burrow. He still thinks he's only Ron's friend, and not part of the extended family."

Draco sighed, and came up with what he thought was a brilliant plan. Of course, his Slytherin cunning was working overtime, and he'd just decided that the time was ripe for him to engineer a situation where Harry will have to tell Severus. Unless Severus worked it out for himself.

"We'll just have to decorate, then."

Hermione and Severus both blinked at the apparent non-sequitor.

"Decorate _what_, precisely?" Hermione questioned.

"The nursery, of course."

"But we've already done that."

"Not _ours_ woman! _His_!"

Severus' hands stilled on the bottles he was moving. His whole body stilled, for that matter. 'His?' he thought. He silently made his way from the room. He had many things to think about, and potions to brew while he did so.

Hermione blinked, then a smile that any man should be wary of made its way across her lips.

* * *

The trio of friends stood in the middle of the room that would become Harry's nursery. All of their purchases from the month before were piled into a corner of the room. Harry turned about in a circle, mentally viewing what he would like to see in there. Anything but white, really, but his thoughts leaned more towards greens and blues. 

"What about varying shades of green and blue?" he asked his two co-decorators.

"Exactly what we were thinking," Hermione replied. "Blues on the ceiling, fading into the greens and getting darker as you get towards the base of the walls, so it kind of looks like the sky and grass. What do you think, love?"

"Wonderful," Draco said. "But why not make it the sky and grass and trees and such? We are wizards, aren't we?" he arched a single brow imperiously, causing Hermione and Harry to break into a fit of giggles.

"That we are, Dray. So, how do you propose we do this, then? I don't know the spells."

"You tell me what you want, then I'll do it for you."

They spent the following three hours preparing the room, and when they were finished, it was breathtaking. The walls and ceiling had been charmed to look like the outdoors, with grass and sky and a few trees here and there. Animals made their way through the mural occasionally; a deer, unicorns, kneazles, even a snake. They were all satisfied with the room, and set about making sure everything was put away. The crib, cradle and changing table were arrayed near the windows, while the bureau was nearest the closet. All the little clothes were put away, and a case of shelves was put midway between the bureau and the changing table, where the little blankets and nappies and such supplies were kept. All the blankets were in blues and greens, to match Harry's original idea for the room, but they went well with what transpired.

After a late lunch, the three sat around talking. Draco again broached the dreaded topic of talking to Severus, but this time he didn't back off.

"He has a right to know, Harry. Wouldn't you want to know if someone was carrying your child?"

"But he didn't want it, and he _hates_ children! You've seen how he is with the students."

"That may be so, but remember, the students are already eleven when they arrive, and are their own person, with strict ideas and opinions. A baby, however. He could influence a baby's opinion, or when the baby was old enough, explain everything and watch with pride as his child develops their own opinion, independent of his thoughts. And he may not have wanted to get you pregnant, but don't deny that you love this child already, and it was never your intention to fall pregnant either. At least give him the chance, Harry. Let him know what's going on. Then, if he decides he doesn't want anything to do with you and your child, then he'll at least know what he gave up. What he's missing out on. You know?"

"I'll think about it. You have to give me time to do that. But what if he rejects us? I don't know if I could handle knowing that he rejected our baby. I don't want my child to grow up with that hanging over their head."

"Think about it. If you need to talk, or just rant at someone, we're here for you, okay? Just, think about it."

"I will."

"Well, let's change this melancholy subject to something more enjoyable. Harry, you never did get around to telling me why you started to call Draco Dray," Hermione said.

Harry and Draco looked at each other and grinned.

"Well, it was back in seventh year. First Hogsmeade weekend. I decided that I was going to the Hog's Head to get plastered. Draco apparently thought the same thing, because not five minutes after I got there, he showed up."

_Draco sat down across from Harry. Harry raised a brow at the blond, not saying anything. After all, the Slytherin was the only person Harry knew in the pub, and he didn't necessarily want to be alone at the moment. Of course, he wasn't so certain he wanted to be with Malfoy, either, but it was better than being alone. He relaxed further when Draco ordered two glasses of firewhiskey, and pushed one towards the boy-who-lived. They toasted each other and downed half of each glass in the first go. They progressively got drunker and drunker, to the point where they were sharing their woes. Draco told Harry about how he didn't want to serve a madman, that a Malfoy bows to no man. Harry told Draco about the Prophecy, and Draco shook his head._

_"I'm sho glad I'm not choo, choo know?"_

_"Yesh, Dray . . . Dray . . . Draco. Ah bloody hell. Yesh, Dray, I know. I wish I washn't me either. At least you can choose which shide to be on. I jusht have one shide. Thash mine. Not hizz. Y'know?"_

"Not much, I know, but Draco became Dray because I was too drunk to speak the full two syllables. It's at least funnier than when Ron named you 'Mione. I mean, c'mon now. He mixed his words up, and you get a nickname?"

"What'd he say?" Draco asked.

"Hermione was harping on us to get our homework done, and Ron was like:

"Cor 'Mione! It's the weekend!"

And she said:

"What did you call me?"

And he was like:

"Errr . . . Hermione?"

Apparently, he was_ trying _to say 'Cor blimey, Hermione!' but he managed 'Cor 'Mione!' instead," Harry finished.

They spent the rest of the day in reminiscences, never touching on the night Harry got pregnant.

* * *

**A/N: I'm shocked at how well the first chapter did. I will be responding to reviews at my livejournal. www dot livejournal dot com slash users slash jadedangel8**

**Many thanks to those who have reviewed, and a special thanks to barbarataku for being my first reviewer. I often find you reviewing many of the same stories I enjoy, and it means a lot to me that you would like mine as well.**

**CT.**


	3. Ruminations

**Disclaimer: **In first chapter.

**Secrets Never Hurt, Right?**

**Chapter Three: In which ruminations occur, erroneous conclusions are made, and a letter is read.**

Severus Snape sat in his rooms, a glass of firewhiskey in his hand as he stared at the fire. He kept going over and over the conversation he heard between Draco and Hermione. Potter was having a baby. Potter was seen by Poppy; Potter was gay; Potter must be carrying the child himself. Who had Potter had sex with recently? There was after the battle, when he buggered Potter senseless himself. Of course, Potter couldn't be carrying _his_ child. There were too many reasons for it not to be his. First, everyone knows that a wizard cannot get pregnant the first time he is with someone. Also, a bond has to be forged for a wizard to become pregnant. High emotions towards the wizard penetrating by the other, for instance, could form the beginning of that bond. But the penetrating wizard must also have severe emotions towards his partner for the bond to completely forge. Severus knew Potter didn't have strong enough emotions for him to begin the bond, so that was dismissed. The act was their one and only time of it as well, so it truly couldn't be his. Who else, then, had Potter had sex with? There was Zabini, but Severus was fairly certain that Potter had buggered him, and not the other way around. Boot, too. Again, he was certain Potter hadn't been the submissive in that entanglement. Weasley? There had been rumors, of course, that Weasley was buggering Potter. And Weasley had certainly left quick enough after the battle.

'Yes,' he mentally decided. 'It must be Weasley.' He was sure, now, that it was the Weasley boy's child. So why didn't he feel any better for knowing?

* * *

Harry sat with his best mate, Ron Weasley, who was back in the country for a few days. It had been two weeks since he saw Severus at Hogwarts, and he still couldn't get the man out of his mind. 

"So, have you told him yet?" Ron asked.

Harry sighed and shook his head. He poured tea for the both of them, offering a plate of biscuits with it.

"Not yet. 'Mione and Dray have been on me to tell him, but I just can't seem to bring myself to do so. I mean, what if he says he doesn't want it? Or worse yet, doesn't believe me at all?"

Now it was Ron's turn to sigh. He didn't know what to tell Harry. So he changed the subject.

"What time is she coming over?" he asked.

Harry shrugged. It was Hermione's birthday, so he and Ron were taking her out for lunch. They were going to take her out for some shopping, wherever she wanted to go, then have her to Malfoy Manor for tea with Draco. Of course, Draco was also planning a party, hence meeting for tea. But Hermione wasn't supposed to know that.

"Pretty soon, I'm sure. We've reservations for noon. You know her, she's never late," Harry said. Just as he finished speaking, his fireplace flared green and Hermione stepped out of it.

"Ron!" she squealed, hugging the last third of their trio tightly. "It's been _ages_ since we saw you! When did you get in? How long are you staying for? Where are you going next? Was China exciting? Did you visit any ancient places? Did you walk on the Great Wall?"

"Whoa! 'Mione! Calm down! I got in this morning, I'm only here for a few days, and I'm off to Morocco next. China was great, no I didn't, and yes I did. Happy Birthday, luv," Ron said, panting heavily by the time he got done. He hugged his other best friend, then looked pointedly at Harry. "Time to go?"

Harry nodded and wished Hermione a happy birthday, and many happy returns, and they left for lunch. They had reservations at a small eatery down on Diagon Alley, and Hermione loved it. They caught up with Ron as they ate, laughing over his exploits and oooing and ahhhing at the appropriate moments. After they ate, they wandered down the street, stopping in this shop or that as the whim took them. They were leaving Flourish and Blotts, Hermione having loaded up on new books courtesy of Harry's present to her, when Ron looped his arms around them both. They were heading to Fortescue's for some ice cream, and Harry and Hermione had both their arms around Ron's waist as well. None of them saw the dark man, who had come to do his own shopping, watching them with narrowed eyes. His gaze seemed to be fixated on Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, apparently wrapped in each other's arms. He took no notice that the young woman was likewise included in the friendly embrace.

* * *

The trio arrived at the Manor at five minutes 'til four, still laughing over a joke they'd heard at the twins' shop. They were welcomed by Draco, hugging his fiancée before shaking the hands of the other two. He led them up the stairs to the ballroom on the first floor, saying that he wanted to discuss decorations for their upcoming wedding there. When they entered, the torches flared to life and Hermione gasped. In the room were dozens of people to celebrate her birthday. Many of the teachers had come, as well as former classmates and colleagues, friends all of them. Harry and Ron moved together to mingle among the guests. There was to be dancing before Hermione was allowed to open her presents, and Harry hated dancing. He motioned his friend toward the french doors that led to the balcony and stepped outside. He leaned against the railing, talking softly to Ron about his fears for the pregnancy, and for his baby. 

Severus Snape watched the two young men move outside, and he positioned himself closer to the doors so he could listen. He didn't think of it as eavesdropping, as he was only interested in confirming that Weasley was the father.

"I'm scared, Ron. What if something happens?" Potter was saying.

He could hear Weasley's sigh before he responded.

"You know you always seem to get out of any mess, mate. You'll do fine. The baby will be fine. You're just worrying over nothing, I'm sure. Relax, alright? Enjoy yourself tonight, at least."

"But Poppy told me that fully half of male pregnancies have complications that cause a miscarriage. I expect some complications, as I'm male and all, but I don't want to lose my baby. Our baby."

Severus closed his eyes. He now had his answer. He was just preparing to leave the vicinity when Weasley's voice stopped him.

"I don't mean to second guess you, mate, but are you sure it's his? Could it be anyone else's?" Weasley almost sounded apologetic.

Severus froze. It wasn't Weasley's? Then whose was it?

Harry huffed out a snort. When he answered, his words were oozing sarcasm.

"No Ron, I have absolutely no idea who the father is. I mean, it's not like I've ever been buggered except that once."

Severus gasped and dove into the crowd. He had to find Draco, and where Draco was, Hermione would be. And they would have the answers he wanted. Needed.

* * *

Draco and Hermione were dancing when Severus broke through the crowd. He waited patiently while they moved together, determined to corner them as soon as they got off the floor. Harry and Ron had made their way through the crowd as well, on the opposite side of the dance floor from Severus. Near to the punch and snacks, actually. Harry watched his friends dance, and knew that he had never seen two people more in love. He smiled as they danced, and turned his smile on the woman who arrived next to him. 

"Hello Poppy. Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked the matron.

"I am. How are you feeling?" she replied.

"Well enough. The morning sickness is terrible, but I'll live. I have the consolation that Hermione is going through the same thing as I am," he answered, smiling.

She chuckled and excused herself to get some punch. Harry looked back at the couples on the floor, and noticed the song had changed. And that Hermione and Draco weren't dancing anymore, either. In fact, Draco was very pale, and Hermione was staring at Harryas Severus spoke to them. He knew then that he had to escape. He slipped from the room and made his way to Draco's study. There he pulled out parchment, quill and ink and wrote a brief letter to Hermione.

**_Hermione,_**

**_I hope you enjoy your party. I'm sorry that he cornered you both tonight, and although I have no idea what he said to you, by what I witnessed of your reactions I've deduced it has something to do with me. And our baby. I don't know how he found out, but I was planning on telling him soon. Actually, that was why I asked you to go to Hogwarts with me this weekend. But there's no use now, is there? Please convey my apologies to Draco, but I fear that I'm suddenly not feeling very well and would like to go home. I'm closing my house to visitors for the next day or so, so please don't try to contact me. I'll call you in a couple of days. I need to be alone, I think._**

**_Love,_**

**_Harry._**

Harry summoned a house-elf and had it deliver the letter to Hermione, then floo'd home. He closed his house up, cutting all contact via floo, and anti-apparation wards, as well as repelling wards. He was determined to hide for a couple of days at the least, although he still wasn't sure if he was hiding from Severus, his friends, or himself.

* * *

Hoppy appeared next to her master and soon to be mistress with a letter folded on a silver server. Hermione's name sparkled across it as if the ink hadn't had time to dry yet. She took the parchment and thanked the elf. She read over the letter, sighing as she did so, then handed it to Draco. Severus was standing on the other side of her fiancé, eyes searching the crowd. He watched Weasley approach and looked for Potter with him, but couldn't find him. 

"'Mione, do you know where Harry went off to?" Ron asked, looking slightly worried about his friend.

Hermione nodded.

"Home."

Ron, Draco, and Severus blinked.

"Home?" Draco asked.

"Home. Did you read it yet?" she gestured to the letter resting in Draco's hand.

He scanned it and sighed, looking at Hermione. They held a conversation with their eyes, as Draco handed the letter off to Ron. Who read it, cursed, and handed it to Severus. Who read it, paled, and let Hermione snatch it from his hand as she had been trying to do for the whole of his reading.

She turned on Ron, and he saw her latent temper rise.

"Why did you give that to him?" she ground out.

Ron shrugged and grinned apologetically.

"'Cause I reckoned he already knew most of it, and what he was guessing at was confirmed there. Besides, do you want to have Harry after you for this, or me, since I'll be in Morocco for the next two months? And really, the man has a right to know. No matter what Harry was planning for this weekend, I don't think he would've been able to go through with it. Not after he's put it off for so long. Just . . . errr, just don't tell Harry I did that, 'kay? I _really_ don't want him peeved at me, as he's got a worse temper than Ginny or my mum, and that's saying something. With him being all hormonal, too, well . . . " he trailed off, flushing a bright red.

Hermione nodded and looked at Severus.

"We need to talk."

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. As always, review responses will be on my livejournal. www . livejournal . com / users / jadedangel8 Just remove the spaces. Or click on my homepage in my bio.Thanks to those who reviewed.**


	4. Aquiesence

**Disclaimer: **In first chapter… where it's been since I've begun this story.

**Secrets Never Hurt, Right?**

**Chapter Four: In which introspection is found, people are seen, and others talk.**

It was over a week before Harry was seen again by anyone other than Poppy. She had, incidentally, been brought to Harry's house by Dobby, at Harry's request, for their appointment. Poppy wasn't as educated in male pregnancies as she was in female pregnancies, however. She knew the basics, but some things about Harry's pregnancy worried her. While it wasn't _rare_ for men to become with child in their world, it wasn't very common, either, so there were many things Poppy Pomfrey needed to research before she could give accurate information to the father-to-be.

Poppy paced her office, worrying over how to contact Harry. She knew the house-elf could get her there, but she wasn't sure where he was or even his name. The only one she _knew_ would know was Hermione. Hopefully the woman was home.

Severus entered the infirmary to find the nurse immersed in a floo call. He silently set about stocking up Poppy's potions cupboard while waiting for her to finish so he could speak with her. However, upon finishing, she didn't seem to notice him as she called for that insane house-elf friend of Potter's. He was intrigued when the matron asked the elf to take her to Potter's house, and was shocked by the answer. Wasn't the elf employed by Hogwarts? He watched the creature wring its hands together as it answered the question.

"Dobby is sorry, Nurse Poppy Miss. Dobby is not taking anyone to Master Harry Potter Sir's house without Master Harry Potter Sir's permission, and Dobby wasn't being told to bring Nurse Poppy Miss there today. Dobby is sorry!" the little elf wailed in consternation. It seemed its loyalty to Potter was stronger than its loyalty to Hogwarts.

"Shh, shh," Poppy soothed the creature. "It's alright Dobby. Can you take him a letter from me instead? I will just have to see him here, then."

Dobby nodded and waited while Poppy wrote out a short missive to Potter, then disappeared with a crack.

* * *

Harry was startled when Dobby popped into his house, his wand instantly in his hand. He relaxed when he saw who it was, however.

"Hello Dobby. Have a seat! What can I do for you?" he asked the little elf.

"Harry Potter Sir is a great wizard for offering Dobby a seat, but Dobby is only being her to be bringing Harry Potter Sir a letter from Nurse Poppy Miss," he announced, flourishing the letter to Harry at the end.

Harry took the letter and read it over, alarm creeping over his face as he asked the little elf to pack some robes and other necessities for the next few months. Once Dobby was done with that, Harry sent him back to Hogwarts with the instruction to drop his things off with Poppy while he apparated to Hogsmeade and walked to the castle from there.

* * *

Poppy was distracted from her conversation with Severus as the little elf reappeared, this time laden with Harry's belongings. She gestured him to put them down and asked why he didn't bring Harry as well. Dobby looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Harry Potter Sir be apparating, Nurse Poppy Miss. Is Harry Potter Sir in danger??" he asked.

Poppy sighed and resolved to be more explicit in her threats to that young man.

"If he is, his apparating has already done it. That boy! Never takes his own safety into account, does he…" she muttered, moving away from both Severus and Dobby to partition a makeshift room for Harry.

Harry found the walk from Hogsmeade peaceful, if not more than a little tiring. He was breathing heavily as he made his way up the steps to the entrance of the castle, but was exhilarated nonetheless to be back in such a magic-laden place. He found the sometimes oppressive weight of magic saturating the castle to be a balm to his senses as he could feel the lack of magic in places such as his house, or Hermione's flat. Even Diagon Alley wasn't as covered in magic as Hogwarts, and he always felt a sense of homecoming as her magic washed over him. He entered the infirmary to find Poppy and Severus both there, oblivious to his entrance. Or so he thought, until that black gaze swung up to meet his and a flush stole over his cheeks. He knew he'd have to face that man soon, but he'd rather hear what Poppy had to say, first.

"Mr. Potter!" Poppy spotted him. "On the bed with you. I need to check a few things, but I must stress one _very_ important point to you right now. _NO MAGIC!_" she said, and Harry paled, his fingers automatically brushing over his wand.

Harry disregarded the other father's presence for now, instead concentrating on the witch as he settled onto the bed.

"Is my baby alright, Poppy?" he whispered fearfully. Had he been looking at Severus, he would have seen the man's eyes fixate on Poppy, worry and concern shining briefly from them before he masked them again.

Poppy's face softened as she looked down at her young charge. "The baby is fine, Harry. It's you I'm worried about. With a male pregnancy, it takes more magic to sustain the life of the baby. I think we needn't fear that you will have a problem with the baby or the pregnancy, but the baby is taking extreme amounts of your magic, taking to the point of putting you into magical exhaustion. So you are forbidden to use any magic until you have delivered, or the baby desists with its attempts to suck you dry. Understood?"

Harry nodded meekly. "Yes ma'am," he replied, before sighing and asking the one question he had. "What if my life is in danger? What if some of those death eaters that are hiding find me?"

Poppy sighed. She had been expecting that. "Then you had better hope you have someone with you who can get you out of there." She sighed again and sat down beside him. "Harry, if you use magic, you could kill yourself and your child. Just by apparating today, you could have seriously harmed yourself. You are very lucky, young man."

"So how long am I stuck here, then?" he asked.

"Until you deliver," Poppy said with a laugh. "I've already informed the Headmaster of this, and he will be taking precautions so you don't get hit with any stray magic while you wander the halls."

Harry nodded again and Poppy finished her examination of him and the baby, neither acknowledging Severus' leaving of the room, or indeed that he had been there at all. Poppy, Harry could see, wanted to find out how he knew, and what they were going to do about it, but she didn't push which Harry was grateful for.

* * *

It was nearly two weeks later when Harry and Severus ran into each other again, although the older man had often watched Harry sleep. 

Harry was walking down the corridor near the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom when he literally ran into two Slytherin first years being bullied by a group of fourth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. He had his wand in his hand before either side knew what he was doing, and he had it pointed with deadly accuracy at the Gryffindors, whom he judged to be the ringleaders of this little farce.

"What, may I ask, is going on here?" he hissed in a very menacing tone.

The fourth years all shivered, while the Slytherins looked upon him with awe. This was _HARRY POTTER!_ and he was helping _them_!

Harry looked at each of them in turn, and sighed when he got no answer. "Very well. I shall tell you what was happening. You-" here he pointed to the older students "-were bullying these poor first years. Why? The only thing I can think of is because they're Slytherin." He cocked his head to the side, studying the first years. "It must be. I see no physical deformities, aside from the unfortunate need to gape at me, nor do I see either of them with their robes on backwards or ties done up crooked. So therefore, I have deduced that you are instigating house prejudices. Now I know I only left last year, so you five should know my stance on that. Shall we see what we can cook up for your punishment?" he asked them with an overly-sweet voice, his wand still pointed unerringly at them.

"You can't do anything!" spat one of the Gryffindors. "You're not even a teacher!"

Harry had opened his mouth to retort when the voice that disturbed his dreams interrupted. "No, he is not. But I am. Detention for… two weeks, would you say, Mr. Potter?" Severus Snape drawled. Harry smirked and nodded, turning to eye the Potions Master.

"May I set who these detentions are to be with, Professor?"

Severus nodded, and wicked glint in his eye.

"Very well. The first three nights you will have with Filch. The next two will be with Hagrid. The following nine evenings will be split between Professors Snape and McGonagall, at their discretion."

As soon as the students had all gone, Severus rounded on Harry.

"Magic, Mr. Potter? I seem to recall you being told _specifically_ **not** to use any!" he snarled.

Harry shrugged. "I didn't. I merely had my wand out. It isn't my fault that they don't know I'm not allowed to use magic during my… convalescence," he smirked again, a truly Slytherin look.

"And sending them off with Hagrid? Did you see their glee when you said that?"

"Ah… but I know something they don't. I know that Hagrid will be going into the Forest on those nights."

Harry, smirk still in place, turned and strolled away. It was immensely difficult for him to walk away from the man he loved when they were having a civil conversation for once, but he had to. He was shaking too badly to not escape. It had been hard enough to show a united front against the students. But alone, Harry couldn't be with Severus for fear of breaking down and admitting his love to a man who could never love him back.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay. It appears I finally have written something. Yay. Not sure it's any good, but I will let you judge that, as always. I do apologise, but will leave any excuses at the door. Just know that I've not written _anything_ in over a year. -.- It's about time, too. Now I'm off to worry about a few other stories. Hope you enjoy, and I would like a review if you would like to give me one. CT 


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